The Treasury Department’s Most-Wanted Crime Organizations

These criminal organizations are being targeted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for financial and other crimes.

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This week, the Treasury Department announced it was taking actions against individuals known to associate with three transnational organized crime groups by freezing any assets said individuals may have within the jurisdiction of the United States. The criminal organizations are heavily involved in financial crimes such as money laundering and counterfeiting, in addition to more violent crimes like murder and kidnapping.

"Treasury will continue to target additional members and supporters of these groups, as well as other significant transcontinental criminal organizations, as we systematically expose their criminal operations and protect the U.S. financial system from their illicit activity," said David S. Cohen, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in a statement.

It's a sobering reminder that the fight against financial crime never ends, --and is often an uphill battle -- with governments and financial institutions having to battle organized crime, individual hackers and rogue nations. Here's a closer look at the criminal organizations the Treasury is taking on.

Bryan Yurcan is associate editor for Bank Systems and Technology. He has worked in various editorial capacities for newspapers and magazines for the past 8 years. After beginning his career as a municipal and courts reporter for daily newspapers in upstate New York, Bryan has ... View Full Bio

The Yakuza appears to have established such a wide network that it seems particularly ominous. Good to see that the U.S. Treasury is doing what it can to cut off resources to the Yakuza and these other organizations.